Xavier is named a "Best Value" among private colleges by Kiplinger's Personal Finance for 2014

Xavier ranks 83 out of 100 on the list | October 17, 2013

Xavier is included in a listing of the country's best values in private colleges for 2014 by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. The magazine's annual publication, released today, Thursday, Oct. 17, ranks 100 private universities and 100 liberal arts colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost.

According to Kiplinger's, the colleges on the list exemplify the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate. Many schools, including Xavier, have appeared on the list multiple times.

This year, Xavier ranks 83 out of 100 and is one of 15 Jesuit universities included. Last year, Xavier ranked 70th.

Kiplinger's rankings measure academic quality and affordability. Academic criteria include the student admission rate, the test scores of incoming freshmen, the ratio of students to faculty members and four-year and five-year graduation rates. Kiplinger's measures the cost to attend, the availability and average amount of need-based and merit-based financial aid, and the average student debt at graduation.

Yale University holds the top spot on the list with an annual cost to attend of $58,550 and average debt at graduation of $10,742. Xavier’s total annual cost is listed at $44,520 and the average debt for graduates is $32,200. Its four-year graduation rate is 71 percent, considered the best in the Midwest for regional universities by U.S. News & World Report.

“With President Obama's recent emphasis on rating colleges and universities based on their value, our rankings serve as a valuable resource to help students and families make more informed choices,” says Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. “Combining a high-quality education with an affordable price tag is a challenge, but the colleges on this year's list offer the best of both worlds.”